


at Triet

by hatebeat



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-10 06:43:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hatebeat/pseuds/hatebeat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kratos travels with the Chosen's group to Triet and has an unlikely encounter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	at Triet

That schoolteacher had declared that since they were staying in an actual inn for the night, a night watch wouldn't be necessary. Kratos didn't argue, because he would be the night watch regardless. It wasn't as if he could will himself to sleep any better now than he could yesterday, or any better than he could a millennium ago. However, the Chosen and her teacher were entirely mistaken on the reason they thought they needed a night watch. The Desians would be no bother to them. The Chosen was merely following along with Mithos' plans, as were the Desians. Their only real danger was the monsters that lurked nearby when camping for the night.

Perhaps it would have been nice, then, to have a night to properly sleep. If only he could.

The stars in the desert sky were so clear and bright that Kratos could almost forget for a moment that Derris Kharlan lurked so nearby as he took a walk through the sleeping village. How... pathetically peaceful. Kratos found himself rather wistfully envious, but it was a feeling he could easily shake. His life was not his own. It made no matter whether or not he yearned for the peace these peasants were able to enjoy.

There was something else on his mind. As they approached the town, they had passed that base. It wasn't as if those Renegades had only one hiding place, but as the passed by, he was almost certain he could feel it. Yuan was there.

However, given his current mission... If Mithos found out that he had been in contact with Yuan, everything would fall apart.

He couldn't help feeling a bit wistfully envious of Yuan, either.

Feeling too restless to go back to the inn, he took a casual seat near the entrance. Even if his party was safe indoors, it didn't hurt to be close. The unexpected happened more often than it seemed, after all. Kratos closed his eyes and let himself relax. Although he was physically unable to sleep, he was somewhat able to use meditation in order ot put himself in a state of calm.

He felt the mana signature and the radiation of angel's wings before he even opened his eyes, but Kratos remained entirely calm. There was no mistaking that specific mana signature.

"You shouldn't expose your wings here in a town full of humans," Kratos quietly chided him, before raising his head to look Yuan in the eye. It had been a while...

"Who cares?" Yuan shrugged. "They're all asleep, anyway."

Kratos didn't argue. It wasn't as if anything that happened was irreversible. It wasn't as if... anything truly mattered.

"What brings you to this boring little village, then?" Yuan asked, accepting that Kratos had nothing further to say on the matter.

"I'm sure you saw the Tower of Salvation appear. It should be obvious what I'm doing."

"Time to babysit the Chosen all over again," Yuan laughed.

"I'd ask what you're conveniently doing in this area, but I assume you wouldn't answer," Kratos sighed, resigned. They were on opposing sides, now. Yuan had... broken free.

"And you'd be right," Yuan conceded, grinning. Then, Yuan retracted his wings and took a seat at Kratos' side.

"Do you really think it's wise to associate so freely with me right now?"

Yuan just shrugged and leaned his head back against the wall. That care free attitude... Kratos certainly was envious of him. But he knew that Yuan wasn't exactly resting on his laurels here. He was cunning and motivated. Kratos wasn't entirely sure what his current objective was, but he could make a few guesses.

"Mithos hasn't killed me yet, has he?" Yuan said, a bit too cheerfully. "Besides, you'd protect me, right?"

That was obviously a joke. Kratos could only sigh. "I seem to have far too many people to protect right now."

"What, the Chosen?" Yuan scoffed. "It isn't as if he's going to hurt the girl. He needs her."

Kratos was quiet for a minute. He shouldn't tell Yuan the truth, but if not Yuan, then who could he tell? Of course, having been alive for so long, he'd gotten quite used to keeping things locked tightly inside, but...

After the war, and until he met Anna, Yuan had been his sole confidant.

"It's not just them," Kratos admitted quietly, looking down at his knees. He shouldn't tell Yuan. He shouldn't tell anyone. If Mithos found out...

No, he couldn't allow Mithos to find out.

However, Yuan was unlikely to confide in Mithos any time soon.

"My son is alive," Kratos told him, his voice barely a whisper, as if Mithos was lurking around the corner.

Yuan didn't react physically, but Kratos could somehow feel the tension from his companion.

"Lloyd?"

Kratos nodded once, briefly. Yuan was silent for a moment.

"How do you know?"

"I... met him. It seems he's quite close with the current Chosen," Kratos confided.

"I see," Yuan said shortly. "You've brought him with you?"

"I'm not stupid," Kratos said, the smallest hint of anger creeping into his voice. Heh, how unlike him. "I left him in his village. He has... a father who he loves quite well. However, he wanted to tag along to protect the Chosen."

Lloyd had... another father. Kratos was no longer his father. He couldn't be. Associating with him would simply put Lloyd in danger.

"You must be happy. A piece of Anna has survived in this world." Kratos could hear a bit of bitterness in Yuan's voice, but he ignored it.

"Mm. ...I hope he is able to survive to see his world begin to flourish."

However, it would be at the cost of his friend's life. Lloyd would have to suffer as Kratos did, perhaps. Living on without Anna...

Pointless.


End file.
